


My Lovely Brother

by tinkr_tailr



Series: Babysitting a Trickster [1]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Clint Feels, M/M, Post-Thor: The Dark World, Thor Feels, Thor Needs a Hug, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tragedy, Unrequited Love, mascara warning, understanding Clint
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-26
Updated: 2014-08-26
Packaged: 2018-02-14 22:23:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2205192
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tinkr_tailr/pseuds/tinkr_tailr
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Thor always knew his true home was with the Avengers... He had just thought there would be another presence beside him when he finally came home.</p>
            </blockquote>





	My Lovely Brother

Tony was the first to notice. Which was unbelievable to anyone who actually knew the genius, because, seriously, Tony hadn’t even noticed when the man he was in love with flirted with him. Thank god someone had pointed it out.

But Tony had, truly, been the first to notice. Meaning, the minute Thor walked through the door, unable to stand being around his scientist friends any longer, all smiles and laughter, Tony had dragged the god aside and asked what was wrong. Tony was the first to ask. And after weeks of holding it in, acting like he was fine with it, he broke down.

Now Tony had a sobbing god clinging to him, extremely confused, and trying to comfort his friend as best he could. “There… there?” he tried patting Thor’s back, and slowly sunk into the automatic human reaction: he stroked Thor’s long hair and whispered soothing noises. Thor took comfort in his friends hold, slowly calming down and pushing back, a watery smile on his face.

“Thank you, Man of Iron,” he murmured, voice too soft for Thor.

“Thor, just call me Tony,” the genius could only mutter fondly.

The large blond nodded, wiping at his tears. He sniffled and Tony pulled out a handkerchief he had fallen into the habit of carrying around years ago, handing it to the broken god. Thor nodded, blowing his nose into it.

“So,” Tony murmured softly. “What happened?”

Thor looked away first, lower lip wobbling with the effort not to fall apart again. “I believe,” he finally said after taking a deep breath, “it is best for everyone to hear.”

With that, Thor and Tony re-emerged to see the entire team gathered in the family room. Tony lead Thor over to the couch, only for the God to take the large loveseat. Tony knew the blonde needed the space. The genius nodded to everyone to come and join them. With solemn faces, the team joined, Steve sitting next to Tony where the genius sat at the edge of the couch closest to Thor, Natasha and Clint squeezing together into the lazy-boy like they usually did, Bruce sitting on the far side of the couch.

“I…” Thor held Tony’s handkerchief tightly. “I have news. News that is not… Loki is dead,” he finally forced it out, eyes shut tight.

Natasha sunk her nails into Clint’s arm before he had a chance to even process the information. It effectively kept him quiet, as she knew it would. Clint may have been glad for the demi-god’s death, but it was obviously a torturous loss for their teammate.

“He…” Thor didn’t even notice the tears that began streaming down his cheeks. “He died protecting me. And Jane. I… It was my fault, I should have been more vigilant!” He hissed, ranking his nails over his scalp. “First they take our mother from us, and then… Then they take my brother!” Thor was reduced to sobs. “I never should have taken him! I am the eldest, I was supposed to protect him, not the other way around!”

To the shock of all those gathered, Clint slowly stood and made his way over to Thor, sitting next to the god and looping a strong arm around the thunderer’s shoulders. Even Thor was stunned to silence, only the occasional whimper escaping as he leaned heavily on the archer.

Clint let out a long sigh, heavy in its knowledge. “I haven’t told anyone,” he murmured, glancing up at Natasha. “But Loki told me some things.”

Thor grabbed tightly to the archer’s arm, eyes wide. “Please,” he whispered. “Tell me.”

Clint nodded. “I didn’t really take him seriously. I mean, I did at the time but he sort of had me brainwashed. It didn’t seem like the Chitauri were in complete control of him…” Clint looked up at Thor, eyes filled with turmoil. “Not all the time, at least. He couldn’t control his actions, and most of the time he was someone completely different, but… There were times. When there was a lull in action. He told me that there was a man he loved, who had done all he could to save him, who he had betrayed. And yet this man still loved him.” Thor’s eyes were widening, cheeks red and eyes puffy, as realization began to dawn on him. “He told me that he had thought the man was his brother for his entire life, until suddenly that reality was ripped from him. He wanted nothing more than this man to notice him, to stop thinking of him as a weak little brother, and instead as an equal.”

“I did!” Thor gasped breathlessly, desperate to explain himself. “I always knew he was strong! Stronger than even me, in some ways! He was always the smarter one, he always knew what to say, I just…” Thor held in the sob that bubbled up. “I couldn’t. He was, is, my brother. I always thought… I thought… I couldn’t…” The blond shook his head roughly, knowing it was time to come clean. “I loved him. Not as a brother should,” he voice was hoarse, strained. “I didn’t- didn’t know- Oh, this is all my fault!”

Clint said nothing in response, only held Thor tighter. “He was jealous,” he muttered finally. “Of your ‘Lady Jane’.”

“W-what?” Thor asked, looking up in confusion. “I, no! Jane and I never- She was the only one I told about my feelings!” He stuttered out, eyes filled with anguish. “My friend! She was, is, my friend! I- oh… He thought…” Clint could only nod. “No… no!” Thor suddenly understood. All too well. If Loki wasn’t able to have Thor… he would help Thor be with the one his elder brother did love. Loki had gone on that mission knowing he wouldn’t make it back alive.

_‘I didn’t do it for him.’_

The words were too obvious. Thor had thought he meant their mother, not… Thor himself. He did it for Thor. He…

“No…” Thor whimpered, collapsing in on himself. Tony was there in a moment, kneeling before him and pulling Thor into a tight embrace. Thor felt, for the first time in his life, so small… So very, very small.

**Author's Note:**

> I was planning on ending it happy.
> 
> But I'm sort of thinking I might do a fix-it for this thing, where Loki comes back. It will be complete fluff if I do.
> 
> What do ya'll think?


End file.
